1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for hydrorefining heavy hydrocarbonaceous oils which usually contain transition metal contaminants. The term "hydrorefining" is intended herein to designate a catalytic treatment of a hydrocarbonaceous oil in the presence of molecular hydrogen and/or a hydrogen donor compound, to upgrade the oil by eliminating or reducing the concentration of contaminants in the oil, such as sulfur compounds, nitrogeneous compounds, metal contaminants and/or to convert at least a portion of the heavy constituents of the oil, such as asphaltenes or coke precursors to lower boiling hydrocarbon products and to reduce the Conradson carbon residue of the oil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to hydrogenate a low sulfur content petroleum oil in the presence of a catalyst which comprises a support and a transition metal complexed with an organo-metallic compound such as an alkyl metal compound (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,692).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,571 discloses a process for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous black oil utilizing a metal phthalocyanine catalyst.
It has now been found that heavy hydrocarbonaceous oils can be upgraded in a hydrorefining process by utilizing an unsupported, finely divided catalyst, which is prepared in situ in the hydrocarbonaceous feed from a transition metal compound and a metal alkyl compound.